U.S. patent number 8,104,522 [Application Number 12/342,341] was granted by the patent office on 2012-01-31 for fluid exchange machine with graphical display.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Norco Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Matthew Michael Flournoy.
United States Patent |
8,104,522 |
Flournoy |
January 31, 2012 |
Fluid exchange machine with graphical display
Abstract
A fluid exchange machine for removing used transmission fluid
from a vehicle's cooling system and replacing the used fluid with
fresh fluid includes a fresh fluid tank, a used fluid tank, a pump
for forcing fresh fluid from the fresh fluid tank to a vehicle's
cooling system, a processor for controlling a fluid exchange
operation, and a display coupled to said processor for graphically
representing a status of the fluid exchange operation. The display
can be an LCD display or other display capable of graphical
representation of the conditions and status of the fluid exchange
operation.
Inventors: |
Flournoy; Matthew Michael
(South Bend, IN) |
Assignee: |
Norco Industries, Inc.
(Compton, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
42264332 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/342,341 |
Filed: |
December 23, 2008 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20100154927 A1 |
Jun 24, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
141/98; 141/65;
184/1.5; 141/95 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16H
57/0408 (20130101); F01M 11/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65B
3/04 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;141/18,65,84,98,192,198,94,95,67 ;181/1.5 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Maust; Timothy L
Assistant Examiner: Kelly; Timothy
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fulwider Patton LLP
Claims
I claim:
1. A fluid exchange machine for removing used transmission fluid
from a vehicle's cooling system and replacing the used transmission
fluid with fresh fluid, comprising: a fresh fluid tank; a used
fluid tank; a pump for forcing fresh fluid from the fresh fluid
tank to a vehicle's cooling system; a processor for controlling a
fluid exchange operation; and a display coupled to said processor
for graphically representing a status of the fluid exchange
operation, the display including a first amount indicator
graphically showing a quantity of new transmission fluid delivered
to the vehicle's cooling system and a second amount indicator
graphically showing a quantity of used transmission fluid extracted
from the vehicle's cooling system, said first and second amount
indicators displaying the amounts in real time as the fluid
exchange operation progresses.
2. The fluid exchange machine of claim 1 wherein the display is a
liquid crystal display.
3. The fluid exchange machine of claim 1 wherein the display
includes a progress indicator showing the progress of the fluid
exchange operation.
4. The fluid exchange machine of claim 1 further comprising a
memory in which data from the fluid exchange operation is stored
and retained in the event of a power interruption, the processor
accessing said memory to restart the fluid exchange operation after
power is restored to the machine.
5. The fluid exchange machine of claim 1 further comprising a fluid
adding indicator on said display where fluid can be added to the
vehicle's cooling system, and the fluid adding indicator indicates
the amount of fluid to be added and indicates when the fluid adding
is complete.
6. The fluid exchange machine of claim 1 further comprising a fluid
extracting indicator on said display where fluid can be extracted
from the vehicle's cooling system, and the fluid extracting
indicator indicates the amount of fluid to be removed and indicates
when the fluid extraction is complete.
7. The fluid exchange machine of claim 1 further comprising a
graphical setting on the display indicating an amount of fluid to
be exchanged in the fluid exchange operation, and a keypad to
adjust the amount of fluid to be exchanged.
8. The fluid exchange machine of claim 1, further comprising a
display comprising a fluid exchange operation option for displaying
an option of an inline fluid exchange operation and for displaying
an option of a dipstick fluid exchange operation, and a keypad for
selecting from among the displayed options.
9. The fluid exchange machine of claim 1 further comprising a
display having both a numerical status indicator and a graphical
status indicator showing the progress of the fluid exchange
operation.
Description
BACKGROUND
Automatic transmissions and other vehicular fluid system components
frequently require servicing such as replacing used fluid with
fresh fluid in order to properly maintain them and extend the life
of the component and associated vehicle. Early attempts at
developing automatic transmission fluid transfer machines often
resulted in relatively lengthy and complicated procedures. Many of
these early devices required significant manual operation and
supervision as the operator had to continually monitor gauges and
other instruments to monitor the fluid flow to achieve the desired
performance.
Recently there have been numerous advances in the field of fluid
exchange machines. U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,650 to Few, assigned to the
assignee of the present application, discloses a radiator fluid
exchanging apparatus that includes a fresh fluid supply tank, and
used fluid supply tank, pumps, and fluid lines for exchanging the
old fluid and replacing it with new transmission fluid. The '650
Patent is fully incorporated herein by reference. The general
mechanics of replacing fluid in a transmission is well known in the
art and is substantially set forth in the cited reference, and a
discussion of the plumbing of the fluid exchange machine is
unnecessary to the understanding of the present invention. Only the
details of the operation of the machine necessary for an
understanding of the present invention is provided here.
Many of the prior art fluid exchange machines were satisfactory for
efficiently replacing the transmission fluid. However, those using
the machines on a daily basis constantly look to ways to automate
the procedure and make the operation more streamline. For example,
a processor was added to these machines to control the fluid
exchange operation, monitoring the pumps and fluid levels to
promote a fluid exchange where the fluid added to the system was
approximately equal to the fluid taken from the system. This is
important when the fluid exchange occurs while the vehicle engine
is running, ensuring that adequate cooling fluid is present at all
times and that the engine will not overheat. While many of these
devices have also proven satisfactory in their performance there
remains a need for the operator to have more control over the fluid
exchange operation and to be able to control the operation to a
higher degree than prior machines. The ability to control the fluid
exchange relies on the user having as much information as possible
in an easy to understand manner. The present invention is an
advance in vehicle fluid exchange machines that incorporates
greater feedback from the machine in a textual or graphical output,
and thus allows the user to have more control over the fluid
exchange operation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a transmission fluid exchange machine that
includes a new fluid tank, a used fluid tank, a pump for pumping
new fluid into a vehicle's transmission system, and a processor for
regulating the fluid exchange operation. The present invention
further comprises a control panel with a graphical display that
provides real-time graphical status updates on the progress of the
fluid exchange operation and the status of the fluid exchange
machine. The graphical status updates includes amount of new fluid
introduced, amount of used fluid extracted, textual instructions
for carrying out the fluid exchange operation, and other features
and options of the machine. In a preferred embodiment, the machine
also includes a memory that stores the information related to the
progress of the fluid exchange in a ROM or persistent data memory
that retains the information in the event of a loss of power,
enabling the machine to return to the point in the fluid exchange
machine and continue the fluid exchange after power is returned to
the machine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevated, perspective view, partially exposing an
interior of the housing, of a first preferred embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 2a is a schematic of manifold diagram of the embodiment of
FIG. 1;
FIG. 2b is a schematic of a flow diagram of the embodiment of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, front view of the display panel of the
embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 4-12 are display screen shots of information relayed from the
machine to the operator using the display panel of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is a fluid exchange machine that is adapted
to add fresh transmission fluid to a vehicle and withdraw used
transmission fluid from the vehicle, and incorporates a display
that provides textual and graphical feedback as to the status and
options of the machine's operation. FIG. 1 shows a machine 10 for
carrying out the objects of the invention including a housing 20
supported on casters or wheels 15 for rolling the machine into
position next to a vehicle's engine (not shown). The housing 20 is
made of a durable plastic, metal, or other material that will
resist corrosion in the presence of automotive fluids while
providing a lightweight body that can easily be wheeled around the
garage or work station. The housing 20 encloses two fluid tanks as
is known in the art, a used fluid container 25 into which old fluid
in the vehicle's transmission is pumped during the fluid exchange
operation, and a new fluid tank 35 supply of fresh fluid to be
pumped into the vehicle's transmission. The pumping of the old
fluid and the replenishing of the new fluid preferably occurs
sequentially, although other known methods for replacing the fluid
include simultaneous fluid exchange is also known in the art. An
evacuation hose 22 and a fill hose 24 are provided that connect the
two tanks, and the machine can include a variety of adapter
fittings 27 to accommodate different types and makes of vehicle
transmissions. The machine also includes a control panel 200 and a
microprocessor 19 that control the operation of the machine and the
display 210 described in more detail below.
FIG. 2a is a schematic of a manifold diagram for the fluid exchange
machine 10. The used fluid tank 25 is connected to outlet 60 of
manifold 100 and the new fluid tank 35 is connected to inlet 65. A
dual direction solenoid 55 controls the direction of the flow into
and out of the tanks, where the solenoid is connected to a
microprocessor 19 within the housing 20 below the control panel.
Pump 45 is preferably a reversible pump that can pump both incoming
and outgoing fluid, so fluid is first pumped from the vehicle's
transmission through the manifold at entrance 80, filter 70, and
through a solenoid 75 and out outlet 60 to the used fluid tank 25.
New fluid from the new fluid tank 35 is then pumped into the
vehicle's system through inlet 65 and solenoid 55, across relief
valve 50 and out through exit 85. Pressure switch 40 regulates the
flow in the manifold 100. Exit 90 is part of an alternate flow path
that feeds fluid to the transmission dipstick rather than on a port
on the transmission. In FIG. 2b, manifold 100 is connected to used
fluid tank 25 and new fluid tank 35 by respective conduits. New
fluid line 24 carries new fluid from manifold 100 to the vehicle's
transmission at a connection with a port 105 on the transmission
(not shown), and used fluid line 22 returns used fluid from a port
110 on the transmission to the manifold 100. Alternate fluid
exchange passage line 115 introduces fluid from the manifold 100 to
the vehicle's transmission dipstick 120 in place of the fluid line
24.
The control panel 200 is shown in FIG. 3 and includes a display
screen 210 such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or light emitting
diode (LED) display for creating graphical images to be relayed to
the user. A keypad 220 is provided to allow the user to enter
information into a microprocessor (not shown) located below the
control panel 200. The microprocessor is connected to the display
screen 210 to drive the display and provide information set forth
in more detail below. The control panel 200 is also preferably
provided with written instructions for initiating the start-up
sequence and any hazard warnings or operational information needed
prior to activation of the display screen 210.
The display screen 210 provides the user with a wealth of
information on the status and progress of the fluid exchange
operation, including exemplary screens shown in FIGS. 4-12. Once
the machine's power has been activated, a start-up screen such as
that shown in FIG. 4 is displayed to the user. Start-up screen
includes a listing of two types of fluid exchanges, an inline fluid
exchange (1) and a dipstick fluid exchange (2). The inline fluid
exchange uses hose 24 to direct new transmission fluid directly
into the vehicle's transmission whereas the dipstick fluid exchange
delivers new fluid through the transmission's dipstick port. The
start-up screen also includes a "menu" option (0) for accessing a
main menu. The user can use the keypad 220 to enter the appropriate
number and select the fluid exchange option or access the main
menu.
The screen 210 then displays a graphical representation of the used
fluid tank level and the new fluid tank level, or a graphical
representation of the respective amounts of fluid to be added and
subtracted from the vehicle's transmission. For example, in FIG. 5
a new fluid bar 240 and a used fluid bar 250 are shown along with a
numerical value of units of fluid to be exchanged, which can be
adjusted with the arrow keys on the keypad 220. The display screen
in FIG. 5 shows "11" quarts of fluid to be exchanged, but the
adjacent arrows signify to the user that the value can be increased
or decreased with the keypad. Once the "ENTER" key on the keypad is
depressed, a new screen such as FIG. 6 confirms the eleven quart
fluid exchange and that the type of exchange is an "INLINE"
exchange, and instructs the user to start the vehicle's engine.
Once the "START" button is pressed, the screen switches to that
shown in FIG. 7, which shows the status of the fluid exchange in
graphical form. For example, a new fluid bar may increase from zero
to eleven quarts while the used fluid bar similarly increases from
zero to eleven quarts as the status "RUNNING" is displayed. The
screen display of FIG. 7 is constantly updated throughout the fluid
exchange operation to convey to the user exactly what the status
and progress of the fluid exchange in real time. A textual message
instructs the user to "PRESS STOP TO PAUSE" the operation if it
should be necessary to temporarily halt the fluid exchange. If the
stop button is depressed, a screen such as that shown in FIG. 9
shows the word "PAUSED" overlaid over the status screen to indicate
that the fluid exchange operation has been temporarily halted by
the user. The screen of FIG. 9 also instructs the user to depress
the "START" button to resume the fluid exchange operation.
Once the fluid exchange is complete, a screen such as that shown in
FIG. 8 shows the amount of new fluid added ("11") and the amount of
used fluid extracted ("11"), as well as status bars graphically
depicting the result of the fluid exchange. The work "COMPLETE" is
displayed to signify that the fluid exchange operation has
terminated successfully. At this point, the user can inspect the
fluid dipstick in the transmission to check the level of the fluid,
and add or extract fluid to adjust the level. In FIG. 10, a sample
screen shows that the screen can also extract 0.2 quarts of fluid
incrementally from the transmission to bring down the fluid level.
Fluid could also be added in intervals such as 0.2 quarts, although
different quantities and different units of measurements (liters,
etc.) could also be displayed without departing from the scope of
the invention. Once the 0.2 quarts of fluid is successfully
extracted, the screen can display a message such as that shown in
FIG. 11 indicating that the fluid removal is completed. The main
menu (0) is depicted in FIG. 12, which provides the user with the
option of an inline or dipstick exchange operation, and to add or
remove fluid from the vehicle's transmission system. The machine
also offers a priming operation that can be selected from the main
menu by entering the number "5" on the keypad. More instructions
and options can be accessed from the main menu by depressing the
down arrow key on the keypad.
A second improvement on the machine is the addition of a ROM or
data persistent memory to the processor to allow the processor to
acquire and keep data pertaining to the fluid exchange operation
that will not be lost in the event of a power outage or unexpected
disruption of power to the machine. The use of the data persistent
memory retains the resident data, which is preferably updated by
the microprocessor continuously during the fluid exchange
operation. In the event of a sudden or unexpected power outage, the
processor initially looks to the data persistent memory to
determine if the most recent fluid exchange operation was
successfully completed or interrupted. If it was interrupted, the
microprocessor causes the display 210 to ask the user if the user
wants to continue with the previous fluid exchange operation. If so
indicated, the memory restores the conditions to the most recently
saved data and continues with the fluid exchange operation without
further input from the user. This option can save the user a
significant amount of time in the event of a power interruption,
where the machine simply continues as if no interruption had
occurred.
The present invention is an improvement over prior art fluid
exchange machines that use flashing indicator lights to convey the
status of a fluid exchange operation. The LCD or other screen type
allows graphical representations of the fluid exchange operation,
providing the user with more information in a more easily viewed
format. The machine also can resume operation after a power
interruption without the loss of data using a memory associated
with the microprocessor that uses a data persistent memory.
The foregoing descriptions are intended to be exemplary but not
limiting in the scope of the present invention. It is anticipated
that one of ordinary skill in the art, for example, would readily
conceive of variations and modifications to the above-referenced
disclosure while keeping with the scope of the present invention,
and the present invention is intended to include all such
variations and modifications. Accordingly, the scope of the
invention should be measured by the words of the appended claims,
using the common and ordinary usage of the words in the claims, and
should not be limited in any manner to any particular described
embodiment or method herein.
* * * * *